Townsend Coleman

American voice actor and DJ

Townsend Putnam Coleman III (born May 28, 1954) is an American voice actor who has performed in many animated series and TV commercials beginning in the early 1980s. Among his most notable roles are Michaelangelo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Wayne Gretzky on ProStars, Jason Whittaker in Adventures in Odyssey and the title characters in Where's Wally? and The Tick.

Townsend Putnam Coleman III was born in New York City, New York, but his family relocated to Denver, Colorado in 1955.

Coleman was a disc jockey for WGCL in Cleveland, Ohio in the late 1970s. This included the weekend of July 7–8, 1979, when that radio station presented his own take on American Top 40 after the station's refusal to air the "Top 40 Disco Songs" special for that weekend. In the same period, Coleman appeared in several plays through Jerry Leonard's Heights Youth Theater ensemble. The plays were staged at Wiley Junior High School in University Heights, Ohio – just down the road from John Carroll University. Other famous performers who appeared in Leonard's plays include the actress Carol Kane. Shortly before becoming a voice actor, he hosted a pair of dance shows for local television stations: We're Dancin' at WNEW in New York City (now WNYW) and The Dance Show at WSB TV in Atlanta.

Coleman's career as a voice actor took off in the 1980s when, having recently moved to Los Angeles, he auditioned for the role of Corporal Capeman on Inspector Gadget. He also portrayed Riot on Jem, Gobo in the animated version of Jim Henson's Fraggle Rock, Scott Howard on the animated Teen Wolf and many others. In TV commercials, he was the 7 Up "Spot", Keebler Elves, and Raid Bugs. Coleman has also been the voice of NBC commercials for programs such as Must See TV and The Tonight Show since the early 1990s. Coleman has also provided the voice for Jason Whittaker on the Focus on the Family radio drama Adventures in Odyssey since 1994. He also voiced the Autobot Mini Cassette Rewind on the Transformers cartoon series (1986) and provided the voice of Colt in Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs. From 1987 to 1996, Coleman voiced Michelangelo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Coleman also provided the voice for The Tick in the 1994 cartoon series, for which he received an Annie Award nomination. Coleman performed a wide range of voices in King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow, including Vizier Abdul Alhazred, Shamir Shamazel, Lord Azure, Ferryman, Beast and the Minotaur. Coleman returned to the Transformers franchise by voicing Sentinel Prime in the Transformers Animated series. The character was designed to look like The Tick, as confirmed by the writers of the show at Botcon 2008, Coleman also currently provided the voice of Neddy the Mallet in the Cartoon Network series, Mighty Magiswords. Neddy's mannerisms on the show are based on The Tick which led to him being acquired the role. According to the creator Kyle Carrozza, Neddy was Townsend's first original cartoon role in years. Recently, he also returned to the Tick franchise in the 2017 series on Amazon Prime, voicing the ex superhero dog Midnight.

Year Title Role Notes1986Black Moon RisingWaiterLive actionThe Kingdom Chums: Little David's AdventureEliab, Fox Soldier #2Television filmThe Amazing Adventures of Inspector GadgetCpl. Capeman1987Alice Through the Looking Glass Tom FoolTelevision film1988Yogi and the Invasion of the Space BearsZor One1992 FernGully: The Last Rainforest Knotty1998Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZeroAdditional voicesDirect to videoBuster & Chauncey's Silent NightFather Joseph 2000The Crippled LambSamuel, Daniel, JosephTelevision film2007Superman: DoomsdayDrill OperatorDirect to video2008Justice League: The New FrontierWill Magnus2013Batman: The Dark Knight ReturnsMorrieLego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes UniteCommissioner Gordon2016SingAdditional Voices2018The GrinchAdditional Voices2019Once Upon a Time in HollywoodThe F. B. I. Intro Announcer (voice) uncredited

Year Title Role Notes1985Inspector Gadget Corporal Capeman Sweetly1986The TransformersMini Cassette Rewind, Martin1986–1987Teen Wolf Scott Howard / Teen Wolf 1987–1996Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Michaelangelo, Rat King, Krang, Shredder, Usagi Yojimbo, Rahzar, Screwloose, Splinter, Burne Thompson, Jerry Spiegel, Electrozapper, Dalton Dumpsky, Fritz1987Fraggle Rock: The Animated Series Gobo Fraggle, Architect Doozer13 episodes1988Jem and the Holograms Rory "Riot" Llewelyn1988SupermanTeenage Clark Kent, Ted Kline1989Ring RaidersYasu Yakamura1990TaleSpinTurkey Client, Newsreel AnnouncerEpisode: "From Here to Machinery"1991Darkwing DuckPatrickEpisode: "Whiffle While You Work"1991Where's Wally? Waldo1991–1992Space Cats Scratch1992Batman: The Animated SeriesChickEpisode: "It's Never Too Late"1994–1996The Tick The Tick1995–1996Timon & PumbaaVulture Police, Purplest Stupidest Pirate1995–1997Spider Man Silvermane (Young)2 episodes1996Mighty Ducks: The Animated SeriesCanard2 episodes1996Superman: The Animated SeriesProgrammer, Captain, Co Pilot, Death Fist Ninja4 episodes1997–1999The New Batman AdventuresRocco, Mugsy2 episodes1997–1998Pinky and the BrainHal Slug, FBI Agent, Les Tarr, Bobby Fenster, Bryce Wallace, Bobby Bob Yokel8 episodes1998AnimaniacsPressberg KatzeneisnermanEpisode: "Hooray for North Hollywood"1998I Am WeaselHector, PrisonerEpisode: "I Stand Corrected"1998–2002The Sylvester & Tweety MysteriesNerdy Kid, Mayor, Accountant3 episodes1999–2000Batman BeyondFalse Face, Lieutenant2 episodes1999Pinky, Elmyra & the BrainClaude GristleEpisode: "Hooray for Meat"2002Spy TVAnnouncer2 episodes2005Duck DodgersSuperego Dodgers, Protectorate #2Episode: "A Lame Duck Mind"2007The BatmanCampus GuardEpisode: "Seconds"2007–2009Transformers: Animated Sentinel Prime, Tracks, News Bot, PA Voice13 episodes2014–2017Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles80s Michelangelo, Clerk5 episodes2015Hulk and the Agents of S. M. A. S. H. HerculesEpisode: "The Tale of Hercules"2016–2018Mighty Magiswords Neddy the Mallet, Bee Crown, Matt, Man #3, Giant Slug, Cricket, Red Herring, Galoot2017–2018The Tick Midnight, Onward

Year Title Role Notes1992King's Quest VIVizier Abdul Alhazred, Shamir Shamazel, Lord Azure 2007Mass EffectLord Darius, Rafael Vargas, Zabaleta 2012Lego Batman 2: DC Super HeroesMr. Freeze, Mad Hatter, Commissioner Gordon, General Zod Spec Ops: The LineSoldiers2021Nickelodeon All Star Brawl Michelangelo Voiceover added in 2022 update2022Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge Michelangelo, Rat King, Rahzar2022Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway Michelangelo2023Nickelodeon All Star Brawl 2 Michelangelo